DT News - UK - Irish dentists warn of potential dangers of dental infection

Dental Tribune International

Thu. 9 February 2017

save

DUBLIN, Ireland: The Irish Dental Association (IDA) has urged people to prioritise their oral health and not to ignore dental pain, gingival infection or oral trauma. The call follows the death of a 26-year-old man from the US, who recently passed away after a dental infection had spread to his lungs.

The President of the IDA, Dr P.J. Byrne, described the death of the father of two from California as a terrible tragedy. “While deaths from dental infection are thankfully rare, this tragedy underlines the fact that untreated tooth and gum infections can lead to other health complications and even fatal consequences. Prevention is key. Don’t ignore an abscess, gum infection, swelling or dental injury and be sure to visit your dentist promptly if you have a concern,” he said.

Byrne pointed to a study from 2015 that showed that there had been a 38 per cent increase in the number of patients admitted to Irish hospitals with severe dental infections.

“We have no doubt that the swingeing cuts which were made to the medical card and PRSI [Pay Related Social Insurance] dental schemes as well as the Public Dental Service are responsible for this massive increase. These cuts have removed preventive treatments, putting our patients at risk from dental disease with potential risks to their general health. At present antibiotics are often prescribed in the absence of the availability of effective treatment.”

In response to the 2015 study at the time, IDA CEO Fintan Hourihan described the rise in admissions in a so-called First World country as a disgrace. “If anything the situation is getting worse and people are being left with severe abscesses and potentially life-threatening infections,” Byrne concluded.

To post a reply please login or register

Dentists warn of recruitment crisis looming over NHS

LONDON, UK: Over two-thirds of NHS practices in England have had difficulties filling vacancies, a recent survey by the British Dental Association (BDA) has...

Infection scare dentist taken off register

LONDON, UK: The General Dental Council (GDC) has struck off a Nottingham dentist responsible for the largest recall of patients in the history of the NHS ...

Irish Dental Association calls for reintroduction of free treatment

DUBLIN, Ireland: The Irish Dental Association (IDA) has called on the government to tackle the high incidence of periodontal disease in this country by ...

Researchers examine regenerative potential of mice teeth

LONDON, UK: The concept of regrowing teeth is considered somewhat of a holy grail in dentistry. Though most reptiles and fish have multiple sets of teeth ...

Surgeons warn of risks involved with tongue splitting

LONDON, UK: The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) and the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College ...

Irish dental service system prevents dentists from providing adequate care

DUBLIN, Ireland: A recent survey conducted by the Irish Dental Association (IDA) has found that the majority of dentists have no confidence in the Dental ...

Irish dentists turn on government as private spending reaches new low

DUBLIN, Ireland: In a letter to Ireland’s new prime minister, Leo Varadkar, the Irish Dental Association (IDA) has called for better funding of public...

Award recognises the life-changing potential of orthodontics

LONDON, UK: The British Orthodontic Society’s Against the Odds Award for 2019 has been given to Tatiana Williams, whose brave story shows the power of ...

GDC warns of new online scam

LONDON, UK: The General Dental Council (GDC) has warned dental practices not to answer requests recently sent by a computer forensics company pretending to ...

Teeth from victims of Irish famine reveal dietary insights

EDINBURGH, UK: The Great Irish Famine is something etched into European history. The impact of the famine has been well documented, and in a new study that ...

Education

Live webinar
Mon. 29 April 2024
5:30 pm UTC (London)